Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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359. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding spent on the Creative Ireland programme every year since 2017; and a breakdown by current and capital spending. [24567/23]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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360. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the estimated cost of increasing the annual expenditure on Creative Ireland by 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%. [24568/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 360 together.

The Creative Ireland Programme is an all-of-Government initiative led by my Department that is designed to promote individual, community and national wellbeing. Its core proposition is that participation in cultural activity by everyone drives personal and collective creativity, with significant implications for individual and societal wellbeing and achievement.

The breakdown of the expenditure of this Department on the Creative Ireland Programme by year is provided in tabular form below. This expenditure supports a vast array of initiatives, projects, activities and events delivered right throughout the country by a wide network of Creative Ireland partners.

Creative Ireland Programme funding provides significant opportunities for people of all ages, from all backgrounds and in every area of the country, to participate in, enjoy and benefit from creative activities and pursuits – covering all genres, disciplines and artforms – within their local communities, their schools, or their homes.

The current expenditure that has been allocated to the Creative Ireland Programme for 2023 is €10,533,900. The table below details the estimated cost of increasing the annual expenditure on Creative Ireland by 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%.

A further €985,000 is allocated in 2023 for projects and programmes that support the Shared Island initiative.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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361. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding spent by her Department on the Creative Schools programme every year since 2017; the breakdown by current and capital spending; and a list of each participating school each year and the amount received. [24569/23]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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362. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the estimated additional cost of expanding the Creative Schools programme to every primary school in the State. [24570/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 361 and 362 together.

Creative Schoolsis a flagship initiative of the Creative Youth Plan, supporting schools to put the arts and creativity at the heart of children’s and young people’s lives. Since 2018, Creative Schoolshas supported schools over 2 years to develop and implement a bespoke Creative Schoolsplan. It is led by the Arts Council in partnership with my Department and the Department of Education. Access to the initiative is open to all Department of Education-recognised primary and post-primary schools. According to published figures there are currently 3,958 schools (www.gov.ie/en/collection/63363b-data-on-individual-schools/), in addition to Youthreach centres (www.etbi.ie/youthreach/youthreach-directory-contacts/).

Each school participating in the initiative is provided with a Creative Schoolsoperating grant of €4,000 in total over the two years. Each school is also provided with access to a trained Creative Associate, a school coordinator and voice of the child training.

In 2020 the Arts Council was awarded additional funding from the July Stimulus Package announced by Government, designed to directly support those negatively impacted by Covid-19. The Arts Council agreed to award additional once-off funding to all schools participating of €1,100.

For the 2022 intake, four schools joined the programme that are based in non-mainstream settings, attached to Special Care Units or Children Detention Centres. Given the particular needs of these settings and the young people within them, they were offered an enhanced package of supports to include greater allocated time with a Creative Associate and an increased grant of €8,000 each over the two years.

In the five rounds from 2018 to 2022, a total number of 1,433 schools and Youthreach Centres have applied to participate in Creative Schools. Over 830 schools and Youthreach centres have been invited to participate during this time, details of which are available by year on the Arts Council website here: www.artscouncil.ie/generic_content.aspx?id=59340

In 2018, my Department spent a total of €400,000 in current spending for the delivery of Creative Schools, and a further €822,000 in 2019. Since 2020, all funding through my Department relating to Creative Schools has been part of the Arts Council’s annual allocation, the management of which is a matter for the Council under the Arts Act 2003.

With regard to current expenditure on the arts, including Creative Schools, the Arts Council funding decisions database gives a listing of its 2008-2022 funding decisions, available here: www.artscouncil.ie/funding-decisions/. Arts Council expenditure on specific programmes they administer, such as Creative Schools, are recorded in the Arts Council's annual reports and financial statements available here in the Council's publications section: www.artscouncil.ie/publications/?&Category=Annual%20reports

Creative Schoolsis available to all schools, including primary. Any further scaling up would require a re-consideration of the most feasible model of delivery.